What are HIV and AIDS?

January 19, 2016

What is HIV?HIV is the name of Virus.It is called Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is a virus that attacks your immune system.

HIV and AIDS are the same mean? No. AIDS means Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Over time, your immune system may grow weak and you can become sick with different illnesses. After time, your immune system will no longer be able to defend your body from infections, diseases or cancers that can kill you. This advanced stage of the HIV disease is called AIDS.

What will be going on the person’s body who get HIV?HIV infects and destroys blood cells that a person’s immune system needs to work. HIV stays in the body for years, destroying blood cells until their immune system is so damaged that they develop AIDS (also known as advanced HIV disease). At this stage, HIV has weakened their immune system to the point that they can no longer fight off certain types of infections that other people can fight. .

If you get HIV, you can die as soon as possible?No. If you take medicine which makes your immune system stronger, you can live longer than 10 years or 20 years or more. . Actually it can mean HIV is diabetes chronic symptoms.!!!

Who can get HIV? Shouldn’t we share food with HIV positive?NO!! Studies have shown that HIV is not spread through these types of casual contact such as food utensils, Towels and bedding, Swimming pools, Telephones, Toilet seats and Mosquito bites

There are four HIV risk factors.
– Blood Transfusion 90%
– Babies can be infected by an HIV-positive mother during pregnancy, birth and breast feeding. 40%
– Sexual contact (including oral, anal or vaginal sex) with someone who is HIV positive or whose HIV status is unknown, without the protection of a latex male condom. 1%
-Sharing drug needles or syringes. 0.4%

But the highest percentage of factors is through unprotected sex.

People can know HIV positive as soon as possible getting HIV?No.Many people have no symptoms of HIV. Some have flu-like symptoms a month or two after getting the virus. These may include fever, headache, tiredness, and enlarged lymph nodes (these are organs of the immune system in the neck and groin). These symptoms usually go away before they are identified as HIV. If you have unprotected sex, you should go to have the test especially in Africa where is the high population of HIV positive.

When was AIDS and HIV first discovered?
HIV appeared in North American in the 1970s. Between 1979 and 1981, health authorities identified that, in certain U.S. neighborhoods, otherwise healthy gay men were developing diseases that only happen when the immune system is weakened. They believed that an infection was causing the disease, which was later named acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In 1983, researchers Luc Montagnier and Robert Gallo discovered the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

According to some theory, HIV may have come from certain types of monkeys or chimpanzees. There are monkey viruses, called simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) that are closely related to HIV. Some researchers believe that one of those viruses could have turned into HIV and that by hunting and eating chimpanzees, humans may have become infected.

Well done for going to Africa and taking that leap of faith. My boyfriend and I will be starting our cycle trip in the Americas, after that we’re not sure. We’ve talked about Africa, but I’m just not too sure about it. Reading your blog at least tells me it’s doable 🙂 Would you recommend it?

Yes, it would be good experience. You would know real face of Africa, which media don’t show. You know how to cycle safely if you already had experience as cycling in Americas. Africa is the same as that. Use common sense! (By the way if you want to cycle as a solo female, I don’t recommend. Flirting is too much over there that it could give you very stressful if you are alone.)
Cheers!
Jin

If you enjoy reading my blog, you can buy a cup of coffee or a bottle of beer :)
Thanks!

(Once you click "Donate", choose the language with the button at top-right.)

About me

Hello, it’s Jin from South Korea.
I have been cycling through America, Latin
America, Africa, Europe, Middle East, and Asia since Sept of 2011.
I upload my journal, information, travel tip,
resource, review, and gears on my website.
Thanks!

Follow Me

I have kept posting on the road over seven years.
I hope you have good time through my blog and video :)

If you enjoyed and wanted to buy a cup of coffee, you can donate!

Thank you,

Jin

(Once you click "Donate", choose the language with the button at top-right.)

Distance of Cycling : 70,735.93 km // 43,953 mi
Current Place : Melbourne, Australia
Last update : 22nd, December, 2018
Plan : Australia (Cycling South Coast and Desert and maybe north coast? until Mar or April)-China-North Korea(If Korean governments give me permission; But no any Korean traveler was allowed to pass on the land so far)-South Korea
—
(I have cycled over 7 years and 2 month so far Since 1st Sept 2011)